kinnard



7 E. H. KINNARD POSTAL FRANKING MACHINE Fi-ld July 12. 1924 e sheets-sheet 1 1 1,6 7, Aug. 2, 1927. E. H. KINNARD 3 647 POSTAL FRANKING MACHINE Filed July 12. 1924 e Sheets-Sheet 2 Aug. 2, 1 927.. 1,637,647

E. H. KINNARD POSTAL FRANKING MACHINE Filed July 12. 1924 e She ets-Sheet 3 ug E. H. KINNARD POSTAL FRANK ING MACHINE Filed July 12 1924 s Sheets-Sheet 4 I llllllllll Y 1537;647 S- 1927' E. H. KINNARD POSTAL FRANKING MACHINE Filed July 12 1924 s Sheets-sheaf. 5

IIIIIIIIIIA Aug. 29

E. H. KINNARD POSTAL FRANKING MACHINE Filed July 12. 1924 GSheets-Sheet 6 Patented Aug. 2, 1927.

fuurrso STATES 1,637,647 PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD rrnnnrxrmvann, or LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR T0 UNIV RSAL POSTAL Fn-AnKnRs LIMITED, or LONDON, ENGLAND, A BRITISH coMrANY.

POSTAL FRANKING MACHINE.

Application filed July 12, 1924, Serial No. 725,741, and in Great Britain July 27, 1923.

This invention relates to postal tranking machines of the 'lzind in which the impressions made are recorded a meter detachable from the machine for the purpose of setting to a prepaid amount by a postal authority. 2

The objects of the invention are to provide an improved construction and arrangement of postal franlring machine which is compact and readily portable to improve the printing mechanism, to prevent with more certainty than hithertothe fraudulent obtaining stamp in'ipressions, to enable niorethan one stamp impression to be made on any article of mail matter without repeating the cancellation and any other marl; ings and to provide a construction to compel correct setting or the meter.

According to the. invention a postal franking machine is provided wherein a printing drum is adapted to impress during single rotation. a stamp, cancellation and date inarliingsand any other desired matter and to actuate during each rotation a meter detachable from the machine. The printing drum may be provided with a multiple stamp impressing dieadjustable in position to alter the value to be impressed, this die 1; so connected to the meter that the lat teris progressed through a distance proportional to the value impressed. The meter is )referably arranged so that it can be removed trom the machine only when the stamp impressi die is inaccessible to the operator, and means. may beprovided i'or cnabiiug more than one stamp impression to be made on any article of .nail matter without repeating the cancellation and other ina llil l 1 gs.

.llet'erence will non be made to the accompanying drawings whichv illustrate by way oi example a machine constructed according to the invention and in which Figure l is a longitudinal elevation of the machine partly in section,

Figure 2 is a plan of Figure 1,

Figure 3 is an end elevation taken on the line: A B of Figure 1 looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure lis an end elevation looking in the direction of the arrowE, Figure 8,

I Figure shows the printing drum in ele ""mentary view of the the selcctsir disc,

Figure 7 is a sectional elevation taken on the line (3-D of Figure 5,

Figure 8 is detailed elevation partly in section showing the handle 9 and its connections," r

Fi ure 9 is a detailed plan of the same partly in section,

I Figure is a longitudinal sectional elevation ofa modified l orm'of construction.

The machine illustrated comprises a meter 1 detachable for setting to a prepaid amount by a postal authority, and a printing drum 2 by which a stamp, cancellation and dating markings or any other matter are in'i pressed during a single revolutionfot the drum. Mounted adjacent the periphery of the printing drum 2 is a multiple stamp impressing die 8 capable of adjustment in position to alter the value to be. impressed, the

stamp impressing die shown being capable o't in'iprcssing stamps of three different values. The periphery of the drum 2 is also provided with adie 4 for impressing a cancellation and dating marking and a die 5 for impressing advertisements, public notices or other like matter.

' The rotary printing drum 2. is mounted on a main operating shaft 6 driven through gearing 7 and'8 from an external rotatable ope-rating handle 9 fast upon a Shaft 10 carried in a supporting bracket ll and a bush in the end plate 12 of the casing which'is formed integral with said bracket. The movement orthe operating handle is normally prevented by a spring retained plunger 13 projected into its patho't' rotation. A trip lever la is mounted adjacent the operating handle and on the shaft of the trip lever is mounted above] wheel 15 meshing with a bevel wheel 16, which latter transmits m'oveinentto a lever 17 abutting against the shouldered extremity l8 oi. the plunger 18, said slimilde red portion engaging one arm-of a pivoted bell crank lever 19 the other arm o'fwhich presses against a spring urged plunger 20 carried in a bushing in the supporting bracket 11. A spindle 21 which carries the bell crank lever '19 'also carries an arm 22 which forms part of the locking arrangement of the machine. "The end of the shaft (5 remotefrom the printing drum .9. c ies a cam 23 and a stop pin. 21' one side, said cam being formed w a The supporting hi e in plate 9.6 by

the like 27. The rotary printing drum 2 is in contact with a pressure roller 28 mounted in resilient bearings 29 in the base late 26 of the machine, these bearings ena )ling the'roller 28 to yield so as to accommodate articles of varying thickness whilst exerting the pressure necessary to feed such articles through the machine.

A bracket 30 mounted on the base plate 26 provides a bearing for the end of the shaft 6 remote from its driven end, the portion of the shaft beyond the bracket 30 being of reduced diameter and carrying a ratchet wheel 31 engaging a spring retained pawl 32, a'peaked cam 33 which registers with a slotted cam 34, and a mutilated cam35 the face of which is in contact with a roller: 36 pivoted on a lever 37. The cam 35 is adapted to slide over the squared portion of shaft 6, the movement being limited by a stop pin 38 which moves along the slot 39." The extremity of shaft 6 passes through a hole in the casing 40 and carries a knurled knob 41 for manual adjustment of the arrangements for multiple stamping of individual articles of mail matter.

A value changing device is positioned in a boss 42 forming part of the bracket 30, and consists of a spindle 43 carrying a slotted disc 34 and a pin 44 which latter engages in slots formed in the end face of the boss 42 when the value changingdevice is in, a position of rest. The end of the spindle 43 which passes through the casing 40 is provided with a milled or knurled disc 45 for manual operation.

The bracket 30 carries on its upper face a lock 46 preferabl. of the permutation type which isoperated by a key secured at 47 to the portion 40 oi the casing attached to the meter 1 whilst the base of the lock body engages a shouldered pin 48 the lower end of which is cut off at an angle to engage a slotted pin 49 which registers with a hole 50 in cam 51 under the action of a spring 51,

when the meter 1 is removed.

The inking mechanism comprises frame plates 52 and 60 pivoted on a bar 53, one having an extending lug 54 carrying a roller 54 which engages the periphery of cam 51, said plate 52 being also provided with a tensioning spring 55 to maintain the roller in contact with the cam surface.

An ink cylinder 56. a spreading roller 57 and an inking roller 58 are carried between irame plates 52 and 60 and a tray 61 is carried between the two frame plates and beneath the rollers. To ensure an even distribution of ink to the inking roller. the

spindle 62 of the inking roller is prowided with a knob 62 for manual operation.

Printing inl'rirom a collapsible tube or other source is fed; through an aperture 86 in the casing 40 of the machine. and through the open portion 87 of the fixed ink cylinder The vane 59 is partially rotated through the medium of arms 88 and 89 which are rocked by the rotation of the shaft 62 and a mall quantity of ink is thereby passed to the surface oi the spreading roller 57.

The pressure roller 28 is carried on a spindle 63 which can be forced in a downward direction by arms 64 and 65 which are operated from a rod 66, passing through bearings 67 and 68, connected at one end to a lever 37 and the other end to a lever 69 upon which is mounted a key 70 capable of manual operation.

The detachable meter 1 is enclosed in a casing 71 formed integral with or secured to a portion of the machine casing 40 which is adapted to be bolted or otherwise detachably secured into the main casing. This meter comprises a counting train having a series of wheels '72 marked respectively in units. tens. hundreds, thousands and higher amounts if necessary, all arranged to be progressively rotated one from another in any usual manner. the units wheel being driven direct from the stamp impressing part of the machine by the star wheel 73 mounted on spindle 74.

Some or all of the numeral wheels of the counting train are provided with projecting lugs or cams 7 5, adapted during rotation of the wheels, to engage plungers 76 slidable in sockets formed in a plate forming part of the meter frame-work and beneath which a locking bar 77 is slidably mounted. The locking bar is provided with a number of sockets 78 on its upper surface in which a second set of plungers 79 is mounted which during the operation of the meter engage in the solcketsformed in the stationary plate, suitable springs, being disposed in the bases of the locking bar sockets to force the plunge-IS outwardly during normal operation. In this manner the locking bar plungers are caused to project into the lower ends of the plate sockets and thereby restrain the locking bar from longitudinal movement whilst the plungers in the plate sockets normally project above the level of the plate and into the path of the lugs or cams carried by the numeral wheels. The numeral wheels are so arranged that when the pre-paid amount llus been expended their projecting lugs or cams are all in alignment so that the plungers in the stationary plate are depressed. forcing the locking bar plungers into their sockets,

clear of the stationary plate. A spring 80 disposed between one end of the locking bar and a portion of the framework is thereby freed to force the locking bar in a direction parallel to the axis of rotation of the numeral wheels into a position in which it operates a spring urged plunger 81 for preventing further operation of the trip lever 14 thus rendering the machine as a whole inoperative. Backward rotation of the counter wheels is prevented by a rachet and pawl a rrangement 82 operating on the main spindle.

To ensure that the meter is correctly set the locking bar above described is provided with a slot adapted to be engaged by a set screw or the like 83 which is sealed in place by the postal authority and the position assumed by the locking bar lliZiIOiZll'ig' of the meter-is such that pressure must be so plied to it to bring it into correct position before the set screw can be-inserted and sealed. 3

In order to prevent the detachable meter 1 from being removed except in the rest position of the machine, the spindle 6 onavhich the printing drum 2 is mounted is provided with a disc 84 having a slot 85 in the rim thereof through which the lug or projection 86 passes when the meter is removed, thus ensuring that the meter can only be removed when the machine is at rest and when the printing drum is in such a. position that the stamp impressing die is inaccessible.

The meter constructed as above described possesses the advantage that the numeral wheels need not bemarked in terms of any particular currency, but the numerals marked on the wheels can represent units of any value in any desired currency. For example the machine may be arranged to impress stamps each of the value of one cent in which case each unit would have the value of a cent. If the machine were arranged to impress only stamps of the value of ten cents, each unit would have the value of ten cents and so on for any value impressed. In the case of a machine capable of impress-- ing anyone of a prearranged series of values each of the higher values would be a multiple of the lowest value which would be represented by the units ofthe meter, and when impressing stamps of any of the higher values those would/he arrangedto'actuate the meter through a proportionate number of units at each impression. The detachable meter is provided with a handle 90 and threaded nuts 91 and 92 engaging studs secured to the supporting brackets 11 and 30,

said nuts being prevented from removal from the casing 10 by collars 93 and 94:. 2A counter 103 isprovided. the unit wheel of which fast to the shaft 74 which totalizes'the number of units used by the ma hine, whilst the counter wheels 72 are'zeroizing.

To enable any one of a,'series of values to be impressed the rotatable printing drum 3 has a small roller 95 mounted eccentrically to its axis" of rotation carrying number of value impressing dies 96 so arranged as to be rotatable one at a time into alignment with the other matter on the surface of the drum wh'chmay be constructed to impress during one rotation a franlring stamp date and place stamp, cancellation marking, and, if desired, other matter of the nature start vertisements or public notices. lvlounted on the spindle of the roller is adlsc or plate 91' carrying groups of laterally projecting pins 98, any group being adapted to be brought into driving engagement with the star wheel 7 tute this spindle through a distance proportional to the amount impressed at each revolution of the printing drum.

In order to render the roller 95 and pin plate 97 adjustable in position at will but normally fixed relatively to the printing drum 2, the roller is fixed on a hollow shaft 99 within which is slidable a spindle 100 normally urged by a spring 101 into a position in which a key or lug 102 carried by the spindle 100 engages one of a series of holes formed in one side of the drum to lock the roller and drum together. ()ne end of the hollow shaft carriesthe pin plate 97- and the other end is formed with clutch members adapted to be engaged by clutch members formed at the inner end of the slidably mounted rod 43, which can be moved axially or rotated from the exterior of the machine casing. When the rod 43 is pushed inwardly the clutch members engage and the spindle is pushed into the shaft so that the roller becomes disengaged from the' drum. The rod can "then be rotated to adjust the roller to change the value of the stamp impressed and to position the pin plate to actuate the meter proportionally. A spring is provided to cause automatic disengagement of the clutch members when the operating rod is released from the hand whilst the spindle is returned by its spring to the position in which the roller is locked to the drum. v

Beneath the base plate 26, bosses 104: are provided through which pass screws or bolts 105 securingv the casing 40 of the machine to the base plate, sealing holes 107 being pro- Vided in the heads of the screws or bolts 105 which secure the tray 106 in place. "The operation of the machine above described is as follovs Before the operating handle 9 can be rotated to produce impressions on articles of mail matter which are fed in beneath the printing drum 2 through an appropriate slot in the casing 40, the trip lever 14t is depressed thereby rotating bevel wheels 15 and 16 to cause arm 17 to push the pin 13 out of the path of theoperating handle 9; This operation moves the bell crank lever 19 about its pivot 21 thereby releasing the stop 24L- so that the main operating shaft 6 is free to be rotated through the gearing 7 and 8. A single rotation of the handle 9 'causes a complete rotation ofthe printing drum 2 so that all the matter contained thereon becomes impressed on the article of mail matter which by the movement ofthe drum in co-operation with the roller 28 is fed through to the opposite side ofthe' machine from which it is 3 on the meter spindle 741 to rollU discharged As the printing drum 2 rotates, the projecting pins 98 on the plate 97 are brought into engagement with the star wheel 73 on the spindle 7 4 of the meter, moving this wheel through the space of a number of teeth equivalentfto the number of pins and other markings and to prevent such repetition and enable more than one stamp to be impressed, the knob 41 is pushed inwards towards the casing, thereby causing the cam 35 to engage the roller 36 so that as the printing drum 2 is rotated, rotation of the cam will force the roller 36 and lever 37 downwards to move the bearings of the pressure roller 28 downwards also and out of engagement of the printing drum. The cam 35 is so constructed that this movement of the roller 28 occurs immediately after one value stamp has been impressed so'that the remaining rotation of the printing drum is ineffective until the stamp die 96 is in a position to impress another stamp in line with and next to the first impression. This operation can be repeated as desired and when the knob 41 is restored to normal position, the next impression made by the printing drum will add a value stamp and all the remaining matter which the drum is capable of impressing.

Rotation of the operating handle 9 can continue until the prepaid number of units to which the meter has been set is exhausted. When this point is reached the pins 76 have all been depressed so that the sliding bar 77 is free to slide towards the right (Figure 1) under the influence of the spring 80, and in so doing it engages the pin 81 pressing this to the right also (Figure 2) and obstructing the path of the slidable pin 20 which is thereby prevented from movement, so that the bell crank lever 19 and the trip lever 14 are also locked againstmovement until the meter is re-set.

To enable the machine to deal with letters and like matter of abnormal length, the key is depressed, causing the spindle 63 of the pressure roller 28 to be forced downwardly by the levers 64 and 65 so that the pressure roller is prevented from engaging the printing drum. This will prevent the rotation of the drum 2 and roller 28 from feeding the article straight through the machine and will enable it to be withdrawn through the entering slot after one impression has been made and avoid the repetition of the impression due to the length of the article.

When it is desired to change the value 0% the stamps impressed, the knob 45 is pushed inwardly, causing the pin 44 on the inner end of the shaft 43 to engage the slotted end of spindle 100 of the roller 3 so that turning of the knob 45 will turn the desired frank ing die into operative position. The casing 40 is suitably marked adjacent the knob 45 so that indications on the rim of the knob can be brought int-o register with this mark to ensure that the franking die is correctly positioned. This adjustment can only take place when the machine is in the rest position (shown in the drawings), as otherwise the eak on the cam 33 will prevent the inward movement of the shaft 43.

When the meter is to be removed, the nuts 91 and 92 are loosened and the meter is withdrawn from the machine by means of the handle 90, this withdrawal including also the withdrawal of the key from the lock barrel 46. The pin 48 (Figure 1) is thus enabled to ascend so that the locking pin 49 is free to move towards the right (Figure 1) under the influence of its spring 85 to engage the hole 50 in the cam 51 and prevent further rotary movement of the printing drum-2 until the meter is again inserted.

In setting the meter, the wheels 72 are moved to position in which the pins 7 6 can rise, the sliding bar 77 having previously been pushed towards the left (Figure 1) to enable this to take place under the influence of the springs beneath the pins 79.. In order that the meter shall not zeroize before the prepaid amount has been expended, the bar 77 must be pushed home to the furthest extent towards the left, Figure 1, and to ensure the correct positioning of the bar the screw 83 must be inserted before the meter can be sealed at this point by the authority by whom the meter is set.

The operation of the inking mechanism is cont-rolled by the cam 51 which engages the roller 54 on the inner end of the arm 54. As the roller slides on the portion of the cam of smaller diameter, the inking roller will engage the surface of the printing drum, but when the cam rotates to a position in which its portion of larger diameter engages the roller 54, the inking mechanism is moved to an inoperative position. In this manner it is possible to ensure that only those portions of the printing drum which carry the dies receive any ink.

In the alternative form of the invention shown in Fig. 10, the printing drum 108 is arranged within a portion 109 of the casing open at its base 110 and which is disposed to over-hang a base plate or platform 111 across which the mail matter to be stamped is passed. As one side only of this platform or plate is closed bythe main framework 112 of the machine it follows that envelopes and the like of any size can be satisfactorily dealt with in this machine.

To prevent stamp impressions being obtained fraudulently from the stamp impress ing die 113 one or more arms 114 is or are sunk in the face of the die and so arranged that they lie normally below the die face and are not inked as the die passes the inking mechanism. As this die re-aclies printing position at its lowest point of rotation a stationary cam 115 acting on a-plunger 116 in the side of the drum 108 forces the arm 114 outwardly until its surface lies flush with the die face. If inthis position the die is inked fraudulently the impression taken bears an additional marking made by the arm 114 which may be formed with lettering to indicate more clearly the fraudulent nature of the impression. By the employment of this device the stamp impress ing die 113 can be safely exposed at the lowest point of the drum when the machine is at rest and in a position ready for imme diate operation.

In order to enable the machine to print satisfactorily on envelopes and like packages of varying thickness, the printing drum 108 is arranged to co-operate with .a pressureroller 117 or rollers arranged beneath it and mounted in resilient bearings 118, so that the article of mail matterto be stamped is forced close up to the printing drum 108 irrespective of its thickness. The letter, for example, which is being franked is fed through the machine by the action of the printing drum 108 as it rotates and to ensure that when more than one stamp impression is to be made the impressions shall be printed as closeitoge'ther as possible, a pair of holding-down arms 119 are provided adjacent the printing drum and actuated from a cam 120 t-OOXGl't a downward pressure on the article being franked .as it is fed through tliemachine. lVhenthe value to be impressed is a multiple of the unit value which the printing drum is constructed to impress, the arms 119 are set in such a manner that the stamp impression or impressions only feed the article of mail matter forward through a distance equivalent to the width of the stamp impressed, and by means of the holding-down arms 119 the article is maintained out of contact with the printing drum except during the lll'lplQSSlOll of the stamp so that each successive impression is made cleanl and close 11 3 to the oreceding im )ression. The final stamp impression of a series of this kind is followed by a complete printing rotation of the drum which prints'the cancellation, dating and other matter and ejects the article from' themachine; The date impressing portion of the printing drum is provided with a spring operated catch upon release of which the line'of type 121 comprising the date can be'sprung outwardly for replacement or adjustment and this dating portion of the printingdrum is vided and to actuate the meter proportionately for each article stamped, the following arrangements are provided The meter is normally actuated through unit distances at each rotation of the printing drum through the intermediary of a mutilated disc mounted upon or coaxially with the printing drum shaft 122. It is preferred to employ several of these discs 123"each of which is provided with teeth proportioned in number to one of the multiples of unit value which it is. desired to impress and these discs are arranged to be progressed in one direction or another to bring the correct one into direct engagement with the gearing for operating a meter (not shown).

The shaft 124: carries a, worm 125 on which is mounted a sleeve 126 which when the shaft is rotated by means of-the external handle 127 progresses the discs in either direction according to the Value to be impressed. WVhen the printing drum is pro vided with a multiple stamp impressing die as described with reference to Figs. 1-7, the inner end of the shaft 124; is formed with clutch teeth adapted to engage correspond ing teeth on the stamp roller, so that turning of the handle 127 will simultaneously alter the position of the stamp roller and adjust the position of the discs 123. An independent lever is provided for adjusting the position of the cam 120. i i

As an example of the stamps which may be impressed by the machine, the drum 108 may be arranged to impress stamps. the unit value of 1 cent, two stamps to the value of 2 cents and so on to any desired total value or when the multiple stampdie is also employed single impressions of multiples of the unit value may be made. a

When a stamp die or dies is or are replaced by others of a different value, the discs 123 must also be correspondingly changed and this can readily be done and the new discs locked on to the shaft owing to its square section. v

' 1. A postal .franking machine comprising a rotary printing drum bearing cancellation and dating dies, a roller carried in the p rintmg drum, a number of stamp impressing dies ieach of a different value disposed around the periphery of said roller and adapted to be brought selectively into print ing position and means whereby repeated impressions of the stamp die may be made without repeating the cancellation and dating markings.

A postal franking machine comprising a rotary printing drum bearing stamp, cancellation and dating dies, a pressure roller co-operating with said printing drum and means for movingsaid pressure roller out of engagement with said drum during a part of the rotation thereof when desired to enable repeated impressions of the stamp to be made without repeating the cancellation and dating markings.

3. A postal franking machine comprising a rotary printing drum bearing stamp, cancellation and dating dies, a pressure roller oo-operating with said printing drum, a cam driven by said printing drum and meansact-uated by said cam for moving said pressure rollers out of en agement with said drum during apart of t e rotation thereof.

4. A postal franking machine comprising a rotary printing drum bearing stamp, cancellation and dating dies, a pressure roller cooperating with said printing drum, a cam driven by said drum, means. actuated by said cam for moving said pressure roller out of engagement with said printing drum during a part of rotation of the latter and means for moving said cam into and out of opera tive relation with said first mentioned means. I 5,. A postal franking machine according to claim 1 including an inking mechanism, a cam rotatable withthe printing drum and means operated by said cam to retract said inking mechanism from operative position to prevent ink being applied to those portions of the drum which do not carry stamping dies.

In witness whereof I afiix my signature.

EDWVARD HENRY KINNARD. 

